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Jan. 24, 1956 E. H. KENDALL PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE Filed March 31, 1951 6 SheetsSheet l amen visor EDGAR HOMER KENDALL E. H. KENDALL 2;731,859

Jan. 24, 1956 PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 51, 1951 38 I I I 5:- K l 6 ml 37 H Il ull "Ilfl lll' IIIH l8 l6 I9 3 i=1 2 3mm EDGAR HOMER KENDALL m zm Jan. 24, 1956 E. H. KENDALL 2,731,859

PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed March 51 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 24, 1956 E. H. KENDALL 2,731,859

L CASINGS AND THE LIKE PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHEL Filed March 31 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 game/Mom EDGAR HOMER KENDALL Jan. 24, 1956 E. H. KENDALL PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1951 I WM WN fi R L L E M M M O H M m c D E Jan. 24, 1956 E H, KENDALL 2,731,859

PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed March 51 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Tu-iv 5 EDGAR HOMER KENDALL United States PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR SHELL CASINGS AND THE. LIKE Edgar Homer Kendall, Alliance, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Salem-Brosius, Inc, corporation oi Pennsylvania Application March 31, 1951, Serial No. 218,635 7 Claims. (Cl. 78-9) This invention relates to apparatus for producing shell casings and the like and more particularly to improved apparatus for automatically converting a raw metal blank or billet into a forged and rolled article such as a shell casing, for example. The invention resides in the provision, in such apparatus, of improved method and apparatus for conditioning the initially heated blank or billet, and for progressing the same through a forging press and a rolling mill in sequence and the primary object of the invention is the provision of assembled apparatus for this purpose whereby shell casings and the like may be manufactured economically in large quan tities and to predetermined standards of quality.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the provision, in assembled apparatus for the purpose specified, of an improved mechanism for receiving an initially heated blank or billet and for thereafter automatically conditioning the same and feeding the same to a metal forging press.

Another more specific object of the invention is the provision of improved arrangements for handling the billets or blanks in their progression through the forging press and through the rolling mill required in the process The recirculatory path of movement imparted to the mandrels includes a cooling bath and the handling of the mandrels is automatic as is also the operation of the press and mill so that the whole assembly provides a most effective unit for the high speed production of shell casings, for example.

A still further object of the invention is the provision, producing shell casings and the like by the hot forging and rolling process, of an improved mandrel for individual application to each of the work pieces whereby the mandrels and/or the asin any apparatus for comparable purposes. Also, the invention provides dependable and rapid-acting transfer of mechanisms for moving the mandrels and/or assembled mandrels and Work pieces through the various stations of the closed circuit of travel of the mandrels.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangement for operating a forging press and for transferring hot forged articles therefrom to an whereby the progression of the iniis at such rate that the further heating of the work pieces intermediate any of the steps of the forming process is unnecessary. This not only reduces the cost of manufacture but also increases the productivity of the plant 2,731,859 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 ment of the invention.

In the drawing: V

Figure 1 is a plan view of a plant installation for producing shell casings and the like and utilizing the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a press and a portion of the transfer mechanism utilized in the assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic representation showing the progression of the work pieces, forging dies and mandrels through the plant of our invention;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sectional, side elevational, and horizontal sectional views, respectively, of the forging press utilized in plant of Figure 1;

Figures 7 and 8 are front and side views, respectively, of a combined billet conditioning and loading fixture utilized on the press of the plant of Figure 1;

Figures 9 and 10 show the forming jaws of the billet conditioning apparatus of Figures 7 and 8 in open and closed positions, respectively;

Figure ll is a schematic showing of the press discharge station Where the press-formed Work piece is supplied with an internal rolling mandrel and is ejected from the turret holder of the press;

Figures l2, l3 and 14 are partial elevations viewed from the lines XIIXII, XIII-XIII and XIV-XIV of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a top view of the apparatus of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is an elevation viewed from the line XVI- XVI of Figure 1;

Figure 17 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 16.

is indicated schematically at A in Figure 3 where at B the blank is shown loaded into a forging die. forging press is shown entermandrel which is thereforged work piece to be rolled.

To facilitate the loading of the press and the rolling mill, the transfer preparatory to the passage of the work pieces through the throat of the rolling mill. This result, together with the fact that the time required to progress the work piece through the press is uniform and automatically determined because of the automatic nature of the plant enables me to adjust the initial heating of the work pieces so that the same always reach the rolling mill at optimum temperature for high speed and quality rolling.

The forging press of my apparatus comprises a large heavy casting which forms the base for the press, and which is provided with a centrally disposed cylinder 11 and two outwardly disposed bores 12 for reception of the lower ends of the tie rods 13. The upper ends of the rods 13 are received in suitable bores formed in a cross head 14 in which is machined a centrally disposed cylinder 15. Rotatable on one of the rods 13 (the right rod in Figure 4) is a turreted die holder 16 which has three shouldered apertures to each receive a tubular forging die or ring 17. As shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4 the dies 17 are open at their tops and bottoms and to prevent the work pieces from falling through the dies when first loaded I provide a fixed arcuate stop 18 as shown in Figure 2. Turret 16 is arranged to be rotated from one index position to another by a suitable drive mechanism shown schematically at 19 in Figure 2. It will be understood that suitable controls, not shown, will be utilized to effect 120 rotation of the turret 16 during each cycle of operation of the assembled apparatus. Positioned above the turret 16 and spanning the rods 13 is a stripper plate 20 the purpose of which will be later described.

Mounted for rotation about the axis of the other of the rods 13 (the left rod of Figure 4) is a second turret 21 which carries integrally six vertically apertured boxes 22 each of which is adapted to slidably receive, in depending relation, a piercing mandrel 23. As shown in Figure 4, the mandrels 23 are receivable in the boxes 22 from above and are each provided with an upper flange which limits the downward sliding movement thereof. During normal operation, the mandrels are retained in the turret holder but it should be noted that the arrangement provides for the easy removal and replacement of the mandrels as required. Suitable driving and indexing means, not shown, are provided to rotate the turret 21 in step-by-step manner to present successive mandrels 23 to the incoming work pieces at each cycle of operation of the press.

Received in cylinder 11 of the base 10 is a ram 24 the upper end of which supports a cross head 25 slidably mounted on the rods 13 and supported on the cross head is a formed anvil 26 which fits into the lower end of the die 17 as the same are indexed to central or working position and it will be understood that the anvil 26 forms the lower wall of the female die in which the work piece is formed by the press operation. The anvil is properly positioned vertically by shoulders 27 formed integrally on the rods 13 which limit the upward travel of the slidable cross head 25. Slidably mounted on the upper end portions of the rods 13 but below the cross head 14 is a cross head 28 which has integral tubular portions 29 encircling the rods 13. As shown in Figure 4, the turret 21 is rotatably mounted on one of these tubular portions and it should be noted that the turret 21 raises and lowers with the cross head 28. Movably supporting the cross head 28 is a ram 30 which is received in the cylinder 15 and in the lower central portion of the cross head 28 is a pad 31 which engages the upper end of the particular piercing mandrel 23 which is indexed in operative central position in the press.

Rigidly secured to the upper cross head 14 of the forging press is an outwardly and downwardly extending yoke 32 in which there is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis a C-shaped clamp 33 with the open legs of the clamp extending either downwardly or outwardly vjaws 36 and 38 opened a as evident from Figures 7 and 8. An air or hydraulic cylinder 34 having one end pivoted to the body of the yoke 32 and the other end pivoted to a crank arm 35 on the clamp 33 is provided to rotate the clamp 33 from a vertical or depending position to a horizontal position as shown in Figure 8. Rigidly secured to one leg of the clamp 33 is a die or jaw 36 and mounted on the other leg of the clamp is an air or hydraulic cylinder 37 which mounts on its ram or piston rod a second die or jaw 38 which mates with the jaw 36. laws 36 and 38 are provided with semicylindrical work surfaces 39 which form a generally cylindrically shaped billet-receiving opening and as indicated in Figures 7 and 8 the axis of this opening is in the general plane of the clamp 33.

The billets to be formed and pierced are first properly heated in a suitable furnace, not shown, and are conveyed to my apparatus longitudinally and along a horizontal path by a suitable conveyor as shown schematically at 40 in Figure 3. The position of this conveyor is such that with the clamp 33 tilted to horizontal position and the billet may be moved directly into the die opening 39 by the conveyor. When the billet is properly positioned in the jaws 36 and 38 fluid pressure is applied to cylinder 37 to force the jaws together thereby squeezing the heated square billet into substantially cylindrical shape and simultaneously the cylinder 34 is energized to tilt the clamp 33 to vertical position which then positions the billet directly over one of the dies 17 on the turret 16, it being observed that the parts are so dimensioned and related that the loading station for the die turret 16 is directly below the die openings in the jaws 36 and 38 when the clamp 33 is in vertical position. After this preliminary rounding of the billet the jaws 36 and 38 are opened and the billet falls into the awaiting die 17 preparatory to its transfer to the working station of the press.

While a billet is being thus loaded into one of the three dies 17 another billet is being formed and pierced by downward movement of the ram 30 and simultaneously a third billet is being supplied with the rolling mandrel and ejected from its forging die at an unloading station as will be described later. Under automatic limit switch control, not shown, the head 29 is raised and the head 25 lowered immediately upon completion of the pressforging operation and immediately after the loading of a raw billet and the discharge of a forged billet the turrets 16 and 21 are automatically indexed to bring the raw billet into the center of the press and a succeeding piercing mandrel 23 into operative position above it. Fluid pressure is now admitted to the cylinders 11 and 15 whereupon the anvil 26 closes into proper position in the lower end of the die ring 17 and the pad 31 moves downwardly to force the centrally disposed mandrel 23 into the billet positioned in the die ring therebelow to pierce the billet and cause the metal thereof to flow outwardly into full contact with the surfaces of the die ring 17 and anvil 26 to rough-form the shell casing or other object being produced. It will be understood that the stripper plate 20 is provided with an aperture to receive the centrally disposed mandrel 23 and that upon the upward or return stroke of the cross head 29 and the turret 21 that this mandrel will be withdrawn upwardly while the pierced blank is retained in the die 17 by means of the plate 20.

It should be noted particularly that the arrangement of the press of my invention is such that the heavy compressive and tensile forces resulting from the piercing and forging operation are symmetrically and centrally disposed and distributed within and between the two tie rods 13. Thus all eccentric loading is avoided and the press can be constructed with a minimum of weight and section and operated with a minimum of friction and wear.

To enable the press to operate at high productive speeds I have provided the six piercing mandrels 23, only oneof which is in use at each cycle of operation, whereby sufiicient time is allotted to the mandrels to cool and recover between uses and, if required, I may also provide a dip tank 41 for containing a coolant into which the idle piercing mandrels may be dipped as the mandrel turret reciprocates and indexes during repetitive actuation of the press.

Also secured to the upper cross head 14 of the press is a mounting bracket 42 which carries a vertically disposed cylinder 43 which is vertically aligned with the forged billet when positioned at the discharge station of the die turret 16. I have provided means in the nature of conveyor apparatus to be hereinafter more fully described for supplying rolling mandrels 44 in succession to this discharge station and as explained above at this discharge station such mandrels are inserted in the pierced and forged billets, the mandrels being forced into the billets and the thus assembled billets and mandrels being pushed out of the die ring 17 by the downward actuation of the cylinder 43 as evident from Figures 11 and 12.

Positioned closely adjacent the piercing and forging press is the rolling mill which is of the cross roll type and which is preferably arranged vertically as pointed out above. This mill comprised of the rolls 45, the drive shafts 46 and the pusher 47 does not, per se, form any part of the present invention and is accordingly shown only in schematic dotted outline. The drive may be positioned either vertically above the roll pass or below the roll pass as shown. Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 12 for an understanding of the mechanism used to transfer the assembled pierced billet and rolling mandrel from the forging press to the rolling mill, it will be noted that I have provided a vertically disposed sleeve-like receptacle 48 for the reception of the pierced billets at the discharge station of the press. The receptacle is open at the bottom but to absorb the shock of the falling billet and to limit its downward travel therein I provide a suitable stop member 49. Receptacle 48 is carried by a frame 50 which is slidably mounted on a plate 51 in which it is arranged to be moved by an elongated air cylinder 52. As receptacle 48 is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 12, the contained work piece slides off the stop 49 and onto the plate 51 and moves therealong until it encounters an aperture 53 therein through which it falls into the guide tube 54 normally provided in crossed-roll mills. Immediately upon discharge of the work piece the receptacle 48 is moved back to its initial receiving position but the open nature of the frame 50 allows for the entry of the lower end of the pusher 47 into the guide tube 54 and into contact with the upper end of the lower mandrel 44 whereby the work piece and mandrel may be fed downwardly through the working piece of the mill. Below the mill the ejected rolled piece and mandrel is guided into a receptacle 55 which is slidably mounted on a horizontal disposed track 56 and arranged to move along by an elongated air or hydraulic cylinder 57. Positioned along the track 56 is a stripper box 58 having side and top walls and a back wall but an open front. There is a slot in the top wall of the box '58 so that the upwardly projecting end of the rolling mandrel 44 may extend up through the top wall while the body of the work piece as well as the container 55 is positioned entirely within the box. For a purpose now to become evident the upper end portion of each of the rolling mandrels is provided with a wide annular groove 44'.

I provide a mechanism for forcibly withdrawing the rolling mandrel from the rolled piece while the latter is entrapped in the box 58 and for this purpose I provide a vertically disposed cylinder 59, the piston rod of which is formed at its lower end with a head 60 having a bayonet slot to slidably receive the flanged or grooved upper end of the rolling mandrel 44 as the latter moves into the slot in the top wall of the box 58, it being understood that during such entry of the mandrel 44 the head 60 will be down in contact with the top wall of the box 58. Suitable means, not shown, is provided to prevent are arranged to be moved back and the pistonvrod and head 60 from rotating so that the open entry end of the bayonet slot in this head'will always be oriented to the left as viewed in Figure 13 to receive the approaching upper end of the mandrel 44. Fluid energization of cylinder 59 forcibly withdraws the mandrel 44 from the rolled work piece 61 and the latter now discharges vertically through an opening 62 formed in the track 56.

For the subsequent handling of the mandrels 44 I provide a transfer turntable 63 and other apparatus which is shown in Figures 1 and 14 through 17. Thus, the turntable 63 is essentially an elongated horizontally-disposed support pivotally mounted for swinging movement about a vertically extending axis which is centrally disposed and mounted at each end of such support is a pair of tongs 64 (65). Tongs 64 and 65 have a common separating means in the form of an air or hydraulic cylinder 66 housed within the body of the support and the arrangement is such that upon actuation of the cylinders 66 in one direction tongs 64 are open while tongs 65 are closed and upon actuation of cylinder 66in the opposite direction the condition of the two pair of tongs is reversed. As shown in Figures 1, 13 and 14 the turntable 63 is so dimensioned and positioned that one of a the tongs thereof is operative to grasp a rolling mandrel immediately upon its withdrawal from the stripper box 58 while the other tongs drops a previously stripped mandrel into a cooling tank shown at 67. Thus, the elevation of the turntable 63 is such as to position the tongs 64, 65 vertically intermediate the top of the stripper box 56 and the uppermost position of the bayonet head 60. Of course, during the stressing operation the particular tongs which is thus so intermediately positioned is widely open to allow passage of the stripper head 60 but upon this head reaching its uppermost position a suitable limit switch, not shown, operates to reverse the fluid energization of cylinder 66 whereby this adjacent tongs closes tightly onto the newly stripped mandrel. Means, such as motor 67 and appropriate initiating and control devices, not shown, is employed to rotate the turntable 63 through 180 in each cycle of operation. The direction of rotation of the turntable 63 is such that the mandrel being removed from the stripper station is moved out of the head 60 in the opposite direction from the entering direction.

At the cooling tank 64 the mandrels are guided in their vertical descent by a tube 68 (Figures 14 and 16) into vertical position at one end of the tank where they are engaged on their sides by a pusher 69 operated by an air cylinder 70. Extending inwardly from the side walls of the tank is a pair of spaced parallel guide steps '71 between which pass the necks of the mandrels 44 so that the mandrels retain their vertical positions during their traverse through the tank. At the discharge end of the tank the necks of the mandrels enter through-slots formed in the lower wall of a box-like head 72 carried by the lower end of the piston rod 73 of cylinder '74.

Fluid energiz-ation of cylinder 74 raises head 72 and a mandrel suspended therefrom to an upper position wherein the elevated mandrel may be gripped by tongs 75 which are mounted on a carrier 76 and arranged to be opened and closed by an air cylinder 77. Carrier 76 is supported on the cantilevered outer ends of a pair of spaced parallel rods 78 which are slidable in fixed supports 79 andwhich forth by an air or hydraulic cylinder 80 which is fixed at one end to certain of these fixed supports and has its piston rod connected to a cross head 80' rigidly interconnecting the opposite ends of the rods. During movement of the carrier 76 to the right, as viewed in Figure 17, the tongs 75 are open to receive an elevated mandrel and upon the latter coming into proper position cylinder 77 is energized to closethe tongs onto the mandrel after which cylinder 80 is energized to move the tongs and mandrel'to the left into position Q which is immediately above the location of the pierced billet at 7 the discharge station of the press. In this position the mandrel is in alignment for engagement by the piston rodof the cylinder 43 (see Figure 11) whereby the mandrel may be moved downwardly into the pierced billet and the billet and mandrel ejected from the die ring 17 as initially explained above.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for producing shell casings and the like the combination of a forging press having a pair of vertically disposed tie rods, a die turret rotatably mounted on one of said rods and mounting a plurality of circumferentially spaced ring-like dies, a turret rotatably mounted on the other of said rods and slideably mounting a plurality of piercing dies, crossheads at the top and bottom of said rods each mounting a centrally disposed cylinder, rams in said cylinders, an anvil slideably mounted on said rods and adapted to be moved upwardly by the bottom ram to close off the bottom of one of said ring-like dies when the latter is indexed to central position in the press, said upper ram being adapted to engage and move downwardly one of said piercing dies when the same is indexed to central position in the press, means to load elongated billets vertically into said ring-like dies at a station away from said central position, and means to eject pierced and forged billets downwardly through the open bottom ends of said ring-like dies at another station away from said central position.

2. In apparatus for producing shell casings and the like wherein a forging press is utilized to pierce and form the billets preparatory to rolling the combination of a rotary die holding having at least three circumferentially spaced female dies for the containment of billets to thus provide a loading station, a working station in the press, and a discharge station; a horizontally-disposed conveyor for the transfer of heated elongated billets longitudinally and in succession to said loading station; a downwardly and outwardly disposed yoke on said press above said loading station, and a pair of jaws pivotally mounted in said yoke for rotation about a horizontal axis, means to hold said jaws with an opening therebetween extending horizontally to receive a horizontally disposed billet from said conveyor, means to rotate said jaws so that said opening extends vertically and above the die positioned at the loading station whereby upon release of said jaws said billet will fall vertically into said die.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized in that said pair of jaws is carried by a member which is pivotally mounted in said yoke, power means on said member to move said jaws forcibly together, and

said jaws being formed to impart an initial roundness to said billets by the squeezing action thereof.

4. In a forging press the combination of a base having a centrally disposed and upwardly opening cylinder therein, a pair of vertically disposed but spaced tie rods having their lower ends anchored in said base, a crosshead secured to the upper ends of said tie rods and having a centrally disposed but downwardly opening cylinder therein, a turret-type of female die holder rotatably mounted on one of said rods, 2. cross-head slideable on said rods intermediate said holder and said base and carrying a centrally disposed anvil adapted to close off open bottom ends of the female dies when the latter are indexed to working position centrally in the press, a ram in said first mentioned cylinder for raising and lowering said last mentioned crosshead, a crosshead slideably mounted on said rods above said holder, a turret-type of male die holder rotatably mounted on the last mentioned crosshead for rotation about the axis of the other of said rods, a ram for the cylinder in the crosshead at the upper ends of the rods and connected to the last mentioned siideable crosshead to raise and lower the same, said last mentioned ram having a downward extension to bear directly against the particular male die which is indexed to working position centrally in the press, the arrangement i press, means "behig such th'at the force loading of the press during a forging operation is centrally disposed and symmetrical with relation to said rods.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 further including a stripper plate secured to and spanning said rods intermediate said turret-type of holders, the means securing said stripper plate being operative to prevent upward sliding movement of the plate along said rods, and a centrally disposed aperture in said plate to allow passage of a male die, the arrangement being such that upon upwardretraction of said second mentioned holder and said male die the pierced billet will remain seated in its female die in said first mentioned holder. 7

6. In a press for producing pierced billets and the like, in combination, a pair of vertically disposed tie rods, a first turret rotatably mounted on one of said rods, a plurality of circumferentially spaced female dies carried by said first turret, a second turret rotatably mounted on the other of said rods, a plurality of circumferentially spaced male dies carried by said second turret, said turrets having respective die stations overlapping with the axes of the respective male and female dies at said overlapping stations generally coinciding with the axis of said for loading a billet into a female die at a station of said first turret away from said overlapping station, means for producing relative movement between said dies to press said male die into said billet in said female die at said overlapping station, means for separating said male die at said overlapping station from said billet and its surrounding female die, and means for ejecting said pierced billet at a station of said first turret away from said overlapping station.

7. In a press for producing pierced billets and the like, in combination, a pair of vertically disposed tie rods, :1 first turret rotatably mounted on one of said rods, a plurality of circumferentially spaced female dies carried by said first turret, said female dies having generally straight interior walls, a second turret rotatably mounted on the other of said rods, a plurality of circumferentially spaced male dies carried by said second turret, said turrets each having a central overlapping die station with the axes of the respective male and female dies at said overlapping station generally coinciding with the axis of said press,

said male die being above said female die, means for loading a billet into a female die at a stationof said first turret away from said overlapping station, means for producing relative movement between said turrets, a closure for the bottom of a female die at said overlapping station, a ram movable along the axis of said press to press said male die downwardly into said billet in said female die at said overlapping station, means for separating said male die at said overlapping station from said billet and its surrounding female die, and means for ejecting said pierced billet downwardly through its female die at a station'of said first turret away from said overlapping station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Walp et a1. Oct. 30, 1917 1,286,726' Noble Dec. 3, 1918 1,441,077 Freedman Jan. 2, 1923 1,924,271 Chapman Aug.29, 1933 1,985,765 Cornock Dec. 25, 1934 2,060,768 Assel Nov. 10, 1936 2,101,357 Assel Dec. 7, 1937 2,251,094 Witter July 29, 1941 2,278,325 Layton Mar. 31, 1942 2,341,602 Dewey Feb. 15, 1944 2,502,227 Makenny Mar. 28, 1950 2,545,229 Crawford Mar. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 708,146 Germany a July 14, 1941 

